Wrapping machine



A ril 7, 1964 E. J. SCHODER WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1962INVENTOR. EDUARD JOSEF SCHODER ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi3,127,722 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 ice 3,127,722 WRAPPING MACHHWE Eduardlosef choder, Eituttgart-Bad Qannstatt, Germany, assignor to Fr. Hess-erMaschinenfahrilr-Ahticm gesellschaft, Stuttgart-liar! Cannstatt,Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Feb. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 173,897Claims priority, application Germany Mar. 7, 1961 16 Claims. (Cl. 53230)This invention relates to wrapping machines. More particularly, thisinvention relates to an apparatus for Wrapping objects or articles,which apparatus may be operated continuously and at high operatingspeeds. The apparatus is designed particularly for the application ofwrappers which surround the article or object like a hull or tube and isespecially suited for the wrapping of block-shaped articles.

Prior to my invention, machines of this type which were known were ofexpensive construction and complicated performance. In one form of priorwrapping apparatus, the hull or tube-like shape of wrapper for ablock-shaped object is achieved by overlapping the ends of the wrapperon the bottom surface thereof. The object to be wrapped is pushedagainst a length of wrapping material by a conveyor in such a way thatthe wrapping material is placed around the leading side of the object ina U- shaped form. The shank of the U-shaped wrapper which extends alongthe bottom side of the object covers only a portion thereof. The shankof the wrapper which covers the top side of the object is ofsubstantially greater length and initially projects far beyond the backsurface. Thereafter a second conveyor is provided which includes pusherbars to convey the objects through the machine, the pusher bars beingadapted to initially cause a portion of the projecting longer shank tocover the trailing surface of the object before making contacttherewith, still leaving a portion of material to be pulled along behindthe pusher bar. A folding apparatus places this final portion of thelonger shank around the bottom rear edge of the object and brings itinto contact with the bottom surface thereof which has been partlycovered by the shorter shank of the wrapper as described above. Thisshorter shank is turned away from the bottom surface and thereafteragain brought into contact therewith in an overlapping relation to thefolded final portion of the longer shank. As is readily apparent, theconstruction of the above described wrapping apparatus is expensive andthe operation complicated. I

In another form of prior art wrapping machines, the wrapper is placed ina U-shaped form around three sides of the object while the object isbeing conveyed through the machine. In this instance, the two shanks ofthe U- shaped conformation are of substantially equal length and projectbeyond the trailing surface of the object. However, the folding andoverlapping of the shanks on the back surface must be performed afterthe object has been brought to a halt. This is done by the means offolders which slide to and fro across the top and bottom rearward edgesof the object. Again, the construction of the wrapping and foldingapparatus is expensive and the wrapping operation may not be performedin a continuous manner.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a wrappingapparatus which may be operated continuously.

It is another object of this invention to provide such an apparatus ofsimple construction.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such anapparatus which permits higher operating speeds.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an apparatusespecially suited for wrapping block-shaped articles.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of thepresent invention will become apparent from the detailed descriptiongiven hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detaileddescription, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, isgiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

It has now been found that the above objects may be attained by the useof my wrapping machine, the characteristic features of which are asfollows:

(1) The articles to be wrapped are continuously conveyed along astraight line conveyor system.

(2) The conveyor system comprises a guide means and a combination of atleast three endless conveyor means which are arranged one after anotherand coact with each other to move the article to be wrapped along saidguide means.

(3) Each of the endless conveyor means comprises a pair of endless beltsprovided with a plurality of spaced pusher bars or flights in fixedengagement therewith.

(4) At least one reach of each of the endless conveyor means is adaptedto push the article along the straightline path of the guide means.

(5) In at least one of the endless conveyor means the pusher bars may bemodified to seal the wrapped article.

(6) At least one of the endless conveyor means may be modified tooperate at varying speeds.

The aforementioned and other objects of this invention and thecharacteristic features thereof will be fully understood from thefollowing detailed description of a preferred form and application ofthe invention, throughout which description reference is made to theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View, partly schematic ofan apparatus for carrying out the wrapping procedure in accordance withmy invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken substantially along line II-II of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 35 illustrate individual views of certain portions of thewrapping procedure as carried out by the apparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2.

Reference is now made to the drawing and specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2wherein there is shown one embodiment of the apparatus of thisinvention. Objects or articles a to be wrapped are delivered fromstacking means 1 and conveyed between upper guide means 2 and lowerguide means 3. Guide means 2 and 3 each comprise a plurality of platesin a substantially horizontally straight line relation. The plates ofeach guide means are spaced from one another to provide openingstherebetween at certain intervals more fully described hereinafter. Thearticles a are moved away from stacking means 1 and between guide means2 and 3 by a system comprising a plurality of conveyor means'whioh coactwith one another to both move articles a and provide them with :atube-like wrap. The first of said conveyor means is preferablypositioned generally below lower guide means 3 and comprises a pair ofendless belts 4 and 5 provided with a plurality of pusher bars 6suspended therebetween and in spaced relation to one another. The upperreach of the first conveyor means runs substantially horizontally at anelevation just above guide means 3 and subsequently passes throughopening 3b therein.

Positioned above the first conveyor means is a wrapping material feedapparatus comprising rollers 7 and 8 which feed wrapping material ethrough upturned spaced flanges 2a of upper guide plate 2. The wrappingmaterial passes through the throat of the upturned flanges 2a andthrough opening 3a in lower guide plate 3, thereby being suspendedacross the path of travel of articles a and transverse to the directionthereof, The wrapping material is cut to the proper length by a cuttingmeans, positioned between rollers 7 and 8 and flanges 2a, and comprisinga rotating cutting knife 9 and fixed knife it).

As the articles a approach the end of the first conveyor means, movementthereof is taken over by a second conveyor means which is preferablypositioned generally above upper guide means 2. The second conveyormeans comprises endless conveyor belts 11 and 12 having a plurality ofpusher bars 13 suspended therebetween and in spaced relation to oneanother. The lower reach of the second conveyor means passes throughopenings 2b and 2c and runs substantially horizontally at an elevationjust below upper guide means 2. Similarly, adjacent the end of thesecond conveyor means, movement of articles a is provided by a thirdconveyor means preferably positioned generally below lower guide means 3and comprising a pair of endless conveyor belts 14 and 15 having aplurality of spaced pusher bars 16 extending therebetween. The upperreach of the third conveyor means passes through openings 30 and 3d andruns substantially horizontally at an elevation just above lower guidemeans 3. The third conveyor means is provided with an eliptical gearmechanism which comprises eccentric drive gear 17 and eccentric drivengear 18. Drive gear 17 is rotated by a suitable source of power (notshown) and in turn causes driven gear 18 to rotate and thereby rotatethe third endless conveyor means. Gears 17 and 18 are arranged such thatas one of the pusher bars 16 passes through opening 3c the speed of thethird conveyor means is increased to a speed greater than the speed ofthe pusher bar 13 of the second conveyor means. As the pusher bar :16continues its run along the upper reach, its speed decreases as willhereinafter be discussed.

When wrapping material e is heat scalable, pusher bars 16 may bemodified to act as heating elements to seal the wrapping material aboutarticles a. However, in the embodiment shown in the drawing a fourthconveyor means is provided for this purpose and is preferably positioned generally above upper guide means 2. The conveyor means comprisesa pair of endless belts 2t) and 21 having a plurality of spaced pusherbars 22 extending therebetween. The lower reach of the conveyor meanspasses through openings and 2e and travels substantially horizontally atan elevation just below guide means 2. The leading surfaces of pusherbars 22 have attached thereto heating bands 23 which are provided withelectrical current or current impulses while moving through apredetermined length of the conveyor course. For this purpose, as bestseen in FIGURE 2, the ends of heating bands 23 are connected to carbonbrushes 24 and 25 which during a portion of their circuit contactcurrent feed rails 26 and 27.

A final conveyor means, not a part of this invention, is provided at theend of the fourth conveyor means, and comprises a conveyor belt 29*provided with pusher ele ments 28 which feed the articles a intoapparatus not shown for further handling as may be necessary. It is tobe understood that each of the endless conveyor means hereinbeforedescribed is rotated in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 1 bysuitable sources of power not shown.

In operation, an individual article to be wrapped is lowered onto lowerguide means 3 from stacking means 1. One of the pusher bars 6 engagesthe trailing surface of article a and conveys the same between lowerguide means 3 and upper guide means 2. In the course of this conveyance,the leading surface of article a engages wrapping material e which issuspended transversely across the path thereof. As movement of article acontinues, wrapping material 2 covers the leading top and bottomsurfaces thereof in a U-shaped form, the ends of the two U shankstrailing behind the trailing surface of article a. As the articleapproaches the end of the first conveyor means, pusher bar 12; of thesecond conveyor means passes through opening 2b, folds down the upper Ushank of wrapper material a and tightly engages it with the trailingsurface of the article as best seen in FIGURE 3. Pusher bar 13 thencontinues the forward movement of the article toward the end of thesecond conveyor means. At this point, pusher bar 16 passes throughopening 30, folds up the lower U shank of wrapper e to tightly overlapthe upper U shank already in place, as shown in FIG- URE 4. Pusher bar16 now takes over conveyance of article a, and since the speed of pusherbar 16 is greater than that of pusher bar 13, the wrapped article ispushed out of contact with bar 13 before the same swings through opening2c in its path of rotation, as seen in FIGURE 4. This prevents pusherbar 13 from accidentally displacing the upper U shank of wrapper e. Asarticle a approaches the end of the third conveyor means, forwardmovement is provided by pusher bar 22. When the pusher bar 16 reachesthe position where the article is about to be engaged by the pusher bar22 of the fourth conveyor means the speed of pusher bar 16 has beendecreased so that it is traveling at a linear speed less than the speedof the pusher bar 22. Therefore, article a is pushed out of contact ofpusher bar 16 by pusher bar 22 and prevents accidental displacement ofthe lower U shank, as best seen in FIGURE 5. As carbon brushes 24 and 25contact current feed rails 26 and 27, electric current or currentimpulses are fed to heating band 23 and the overlapped U shanks are heatsealed.

After the overlapped seam has been sealed, a further conveyor comprisingconveyor belt 29 and pusher element 28 feeds the article which is nowcovered with the tubelike wrap into apparatus not shown which completesfolding and sealing of the wrapper about the sides of article a.

It will, therefore, be seen that there has been provided by thisinvention an apparatus by which the various objects hereinbefore setforth, together with many practical advantages, are successfullyachieved.

As various possible embodiments may be made of the features of thisinvention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to beunderstood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the acompanyingdrawing are to be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limitingsense. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose ofdescription and not limitation, the scope of the invention being definedin the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for wrapping an article: means for guiding saidarticle in a substantially straight-line path; a first endless conveyormeans adjacent said guide means having one reach to engage and move saidarticle along a first portion of said path; means associated with saidfirst conveyor means for feeding wrapping material across the path ofsaid article in a transverse direction thereto whereby the wrappingmaterial covers the article in a substantially U-shaped conformationhaving a pair of shank portions trailing therebehind; a second endlessconveyor means having one reach cooperating with said first conveyormeans to engage and move said article along a second portion of saidpath, said second conveyor means engaging and wrapping the first of saidshank portions about the trailing surface of said article as it movesthe article along said straight-line path; a third endless conveyormeans adjacent said guide means having one reach cooperating with saidsecond conveyor means to engage and move said article along a thirdportion of said path, said third conveyor means engaging and wrappingthe second of said shank portions about the trailing surface of saidarticle as it moves the article along said straightline path; and meansto drive each of said conveyor means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the third conveyor meansincludes means to engage and wrap the second shank portion in anoverlapping relation to the first shank portion of said wrappingmaterial.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the third conveyor meansincludes means to seal the overlapped shank portions of said Wrappingmaterial.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means to drive the thirdconveyor means at a speed varying from that of the second conveyormeans.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the drive means moves thethird conveyor means at a speed greater than that of the second conveyormeans as said third conveyor means engages said article.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 including also a fourth endlessconveyor means adjacent said guide means having one reach cooperatingwith said third conveyor means to engage and move said article along afourth portion of said path, said fourth conveyor means including meansto seal the overlapped shank portions of said wrapping material.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 including means to drive the thirdconveyor means at a speed varying from that of the fourth conveyormeans.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the drive means moves thethird conveyor means at a speed lesser than that of the fourth conveyormeans as said fourth conveyor means engages said article.

9. In an apparatus for wrapping an article: means for guiding saidarticle in a substantially horizontal straightline path; a first endlessconveyor means positioned generally below said guide means and having asubstantially horizontal upper reach to engage and move said articlealong a first portion of said guide means; means associated with saidfirst conveyor means for feeding wrapping material across the path ofsaid article in a transverse direction thereto whereby the wrappingmaterial covers the article in a substantially U-shaped conforma tionhaving top and bottom shank portions trailing therebehind; a secondendless conveyor means positioned generally above said guide means andhaving a substantially horizontal lower reach cooperating with saidfirst conveyor means to engage and move said article along a secondportion of said guide means, said second conveyor means engaging andwrapping the top shank portion about the trailing surface of saidarticle as it moves the article along said guide means; a third endlessconveyor means positioned generally below said guide means and having asubstantially horizontal upper reach cooperating with said secondconveyor means to engage and move said article along a third portion ofsaid guide means, said third conveyor means engaging and Wrapping thebottom shank portion about the trailing surface of said article as itmoves the article along said guide means; and means to drive each ofsaid conveyor means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the third conveyor meansincludes means to engage and wrap the bottom shank portion in anoverlapping relation to the top shank portion of said wrapping material.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the third conveyor meansincludes means to seal the overlapped shank portions of said wrappingmaterial.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9 including means to drive the thirdconveyor means at a speed varying from that of the second conveyormeans.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the drive means moves thethird conveyor means at a speed greater than that of the second conveyormeans as said third conveyor means engages said article.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10 including also a fourth endlessconveyor means adjacent said guide means having one reach cooperatingwith said third conveyor means to engage and move said article along afourth portion of said guide means, said fourth conveyor means includingmeans to seal the overlapped shank portions of said wrapping material.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 including means to drive the thirdconveyor means at a speed varying from that of the fourth conveyormeans.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the drive means moves thethird conveyor means at a speed lesser than that of the fourth conveyormeans as said fourth conveyor means engages said article.

No references cited.

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AN ARTICLE: MEANS FOR GUIDING SAIDARTICLE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT-LINE PATH; A FIRST ENDLESS CONVEYORMEANS ADJACENT SAID GUIDE MEANS HAVING ONE REACH TO ENGAGE AND MOVE SAIDARTICLE ALONG A FIRST PORTION OF SAID PATH; MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAIDFIRST CONVEYOR MEANS FOR FEEDING WRAPPING MATERIAL ACROSS THE PATH OFSAID ARTICLE IN A TRANSVERSE DIRECTION THERETO WHEREBY THE WRAPPINGMATERIAL COVERS THE ARTICLE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED CONFORMATIONHAVING A PAIR OF SHANK PORTIONS TRAILING THEREBEHIND; A SECOND ENDLESSCONVEYOR MEANS HAVING ONE REACH COOPERATING WITH SAID FIRST CONVEYORMEANS TO ENGAGE AND MOVE SAID ARTICLE ALONG A SECOND PORTION OF SAIDPATH, SAID SECOND CONVEYOR MEANS ENGAGING AND WRAPPING THE FIRST OF SAIDSHANK PORTIONS ABOUT THE TRAILING SURFACE OF SAID ARTICLE AS IT MOVESTHE ARTICLE ALONG SAID STRAIGH-LINE PATH; A THIRD ENDLESS CONVEYOR MEANSADJACENT SAID GUIDE MEANS HAVING ONE REACH COOPERATING WITH SAID SECONDCONVEYOR MEANS TO ENGAGE AND MOVE SAID ARTICLE ALONG A THIRD PORTION OFSAID PATH, SAID THIRD CONVEYOR MEANS ENGAGING AND WRAPPING THE SECOND OFSAID SHANK PORTIONS ABOUT THE TRAILING SURFACE OF SAID ARTICLE AS ITMOVES THE ARTICLE ALONG SAID STRAIGHTLINE PATH; AND MEANS TO DRIVE EACHOF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS.